About Life in Japan

January and February are the coldest months of the year in Japan. Some areas get a lot of snow, while others get less snow but have a cold wind. Many people may feel that winter in Japan is cold not just in temperature, but also in the way it feels. Today, we'll be introducing how Japanese people spend the cold season. [Inside Japanese homes, it's surprisingly cold.

Did you know that there are two New Year's holidays in Japan? One is the well-known New Year's Day on January 1st. The other is "Kosho-gatsu" (Little New Year). Kosho-gatsu falls around January 15th. It is not a big event these days, but it is an important part of Japanese culture, as it shows the way Japanese people live and think. [Taisho

In Japan, special greetings are exchanged at the beginning of the new year. These words are filled with relationships with people who are important to the Japanese, gratitude, and hopes for the future. This time, we will introduce some words that Japanese people often use at the New Year. [Happy New Year] This is the most common New Year greeting.

In Japan, there is a custom known as "hatsumode," which involves visiting a shrine at the start of the new year. Shrines are traditional Japanese "places of prayer," and many people visit to pray for happiness and good health for the year. Here, we will provide a simple introduction to how to enjoy hatsumode and the proper etiquette at shrines. [What is hatsumode?] Hatsumode is the first visit to a shrine after the new year.

Japan has four distinct seasons, and it gets very cold in the winter. For this reason, there are many words in Japanese to express "coldness." Today, I'd like to introduce some interesting ways to express coldness in Japanese. You'll get a sense of the "detailed sense" of Japanese people, and just reading about it will be fun! [It's cold!] A short phrase that is very commonly used in everyday conversation

In Japan, there is not only the four seasons, but also the concept of the "24 solar terms" which divide the year into 24 periods based on the movement of the sun. Among these are the "summer solstice", the longest day in summer, and the "winter solstice", the shortest day in winter. [What is the winter solstice?] The winter solstice is the day when the day is shortest and the night is longest in the year.

Today, we will introduce the Japanese word "onomatopoeia," a theme perfect for winter. Onomatopoeia is a Japanese expression that expresses sounds or feelings with "sound-like words." In Japanese, there are many "onomatopoeia" that directly express sounds and sensations. In particular, winter is the season when we "feel the changes in nature with our whole body," such as the cold, snow, and wind, so winter

In my last blog, I wrote about the theme, "Let's explore the roots of words! How did Japanese idioms come about?" This time, I would like to write about proverbs. Have you ever heard of the word "proverbs"? "Proverbs" are short phrases that have been passed down in Japan since ancient times, and they are used as "wisdom for daily life" or "people's wisdom."

Have you ever heard of the word "idiom"? An idiom is an expression that is used in a figurative sense that is different from the original meaning of the word. For example, "to be smart," "to act like oneself," and "to cut corners" are expressions that we often hear in our daily lives. However, if you think about it, "to cut one's head" is a little

Do you know what a "kotatsu" is? A kotatsu is a warm table that is essential in the Japanese winter. Many Japanese households bring out a kotatsu when the cold season arrives. It's like having a little sun in your home, and it warms your heart. [What is a kotatsu?] A kotatsu has a heater underneath the table,